It might be half year now from when last time I mentioned that my diet should be reconsidered. Also I already mentioned the period of life when I had PCOS going on and that fact made me eat different - healthier, within time, better to say lack of time I slipped again into eating fast processed food. Very well aware of that my body just don't get along well with refined sugar and lot's of white flour, no matter how much I enjoy warm pastries and that sweet taste - decision is made, those buddies has to go.
Shortly I will say a few about how to recognize PCOS and then move further on how to prevent it when it comes about food, which foodstuffs should be more in focus and what to get rid of.
PCOS causes imbalanced insulin, and we all know that insulin affects the digestion of sugar. One of the main problems is that in this syndrome the body can become insulin resistant and this pushes the body to produce more insulin than it needs to keep it in line. What causes our ovaries to produce more of the male androgen hormone - testosterone. An excess of male hormones cause visual changes on the body such as increased sloppiness, an excess of produced insulin can increase body weight and cause obesity, and all of this together can lead us to diabetes and hinder fertility. The percentage of women who are "treated" from this syndrome is on a global level more than 50%, and the forms are divided into severe and mild. I encountered all this for the first time about 10 years ago when the results showed all the signs that I had it. After that, I followed my diet strictly, I mostly ate raw food, I avoided foods of animal origin, there was not even a trace of white sugar and flour. Discipline with additional physical activity bore fruit, my cycles became regular, my skin was cleaner, I was significantly more energetic, and my hormones were balanced. Until... well, until I fell into the vicious circle of a fast life and not enough time to dedicate myself to a meal as I should + few more excuses like, I really like candies and sweets! Until a couple of days ago, when I felt a lack of energy, the absence of cycles, or were terribly painful. Another sign of PCOS, terribly painful in which you think someone is ripping out your insides. STOP, right there, no more pleasing my inner kid and emotional comfort I knew to abuse consuming junk food. I must admit that it is difficult for me to accept that I will have to keep myself back in front of delicious delicacies for the rest of my life, but the fact that I successfully led a life without them for 3 years and was happier, more energetic and pain-free motivated me to just do it!
The foods that were on my menu at that time, and are now slowly coming back on the big door, were based on seeds, full grain flours, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs and dairy products (which are not desirable, but I can't live without them).
The current period is not the most favorable because it is the time of the year when the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables has just begun, but the good side of a diet based on fiber and complex carbohydrates is that it keeps you full for longer. Sunflower, oats, buckwheat, flax, soybeans, peanuts, pumpkin seeds are the leaders on the list and I am never without them. Chickpeas are also one of them, in addition to the well-known hummus, they can also be used for desserts, additions to salads or stews. They contain a lot of protein and in combination with cereals are a hit! They are also rich on oil and cellulose. What I have learned in the meantime is that the leaves of the plant are edible - never tried, never planted but who knows. On the Internet, you can find a lot of ideas for the diet of diabetics, and with my diagnosis, I somewhat fit into that picture, which makes food combinations even easier for me.
When we talk about the sweet part, dates, raisins and dried fruit in general (not candied) play the main role, although I bought a bag of fructose in case I don't have any of the above on hand. But no matter how harmless all this seems, each of these foods is high in calories, which means that you should not overdo it with either dried or fresh fruit. Fortunately, there is a table with foods with high and low glycemic index, which is one of my main tools.
55 or less = Low (good)
56 - 69 = Medium
70 or higher = High ("bad")
Chickpeas are listed low, so they were first on the list for preparation. And to make cooking more fun, in the future I will invent, modify and adapt recipes.
Chickpea energy balls
It is desirable to soak the chickpeas in water overnight before cooking, so that the grains swell (since they come from the bean family).
Scale showed 222gr so let it be, not arguing this one! In addition, you will need 50 grams of peanuts, 50gr sunflower seeds, 50 grams of raisins, 7 dates, 100 grams of oatmeal, 2 or more spoons of cocoa. Soak raisins and dates in lukewarm water.
Grind all seeds including oatmeal in blender, then blend the soaked raisins and dates, add chickpea puree combine it all together, add cocoa. Leave it on a side for about 30 minutes.
The oatmeal absorbs the liquid afterwards, so it takes a little time for the process to happen. Shape the balls or how ever you prefer it, if desired roll them shredded coconut, or walnuts.
Chickpea cheese spread
In my opinion, hummus is a perfect spread, but it gets boring over time and i had no tahini around. I still had about 200 grams of cooked chickpeas left, and there's nothing better for breakfast than a refreshing spread, so I added 2 tablespoons of cow's cheese, a small bunch of fresh celery leaves and a few seeds of cumin to the blended chickpeas = a perfectly balanced taste.
But, where will I spread it?
Chickpea crackers
Grind 150 g of oatmeal, 50 g raw chickpeas and 50 g of raw buckwheat (the sound of the blender hurts my ears). Lightly fry 30 grams of sunflower and a mixture of 30 grams of flax with 50gr of peanut and cumin in a pan with a little salt and a spoonful of oil.
Add a pinch of rosemary to it, I love it, it's oily and aromatic at the same time, if you don't overdo it, it leaves a wonderful taste somewhere in the background. In the container with the ground flakes, add the roasted seeds, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 dc of water. Mix the mass with a spoon, pour it into a baking tray covered with parchment. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees, then reduce to 180 degrees and bake slowly until it feels dry to the touch. After baking, cool them completely, then break them into pieces and put them in a jar to keep them fresh.
Unfortunately, the final crackers didn't get photographed, partly because they were prepared quite late, and I was very tired, and in the morning we all wake up hungry ;)
The housemates were slightly saddened (or at least one of them) after my decision, I suppose out of fear that I will deprive them of all the sweets and pastries prepared so far, but that won't be the case, I'll be making and baking 'sinful food' here and there, not enjoying it less just cause I can not consume it. But who knows, maybe they will cross on "my side" soon., based on the first impressions.